Top 5 Kansas news stories
May 20 2026
Vance Backs Missouri Redistricting at KC Manufacturing Rally
Kansas Replaces Paper Rulemaking With New Software
No Labels Terminates Kansas Party Status
Air Force Trainer Belly-Lands at McConnell After Hutchinson Diversion
Chiefs' Rice Ordered to Jail After Probation Violation
Vance Backs Missouri Redistricting at KC Manufacturing Rally
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Vice President JD Vance praised Missouri's congressional redistricting effort and touted Trump administration manufacturing policy during a campaign-style "protecting American workers" rally Monday at the nearly century-old Milbank Manufacturing company. Vance pointed to what he called the "biggest growth in manufacturing employment last quarter" since President Donald Trump's first term; the St. Louis Federal Reserve reported 12,596 manufacturing employees in April, slightly up after steady declines from 12,711 in November 2024. Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe, who spoke before Vance, praised the state's "unbelievable congressional team" and the new Missouri 1st map that he said gives Republicans a chance at seven of the state's eight U.S. House seats; the maps, recently approved by the Missouri Supreme Court for August elections, target Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver's seat. Vance also promoted the One Big Beautiful Bill, renamed the Working Families Tax Cut Act by Republicans, and criticized Democrats over immigration and government fraud. "I'm asking you to vote against Democrats because they don't know who they fight for, or if they do know, they're fighting for illegal aliens and they're fighting for fraudsters," Vance said. Among those in attendance was Dennis Slupski, a Kansas City, Kansas, man who spent a decade in manufacturing before teaching for 25 years and said the country needed to bring industry back.
Kansas Reflector
Kansas Replaces Paper Rulemaking With New Software
TOPEKA, Kan. — The Kansas Secretary of State's Office has launched new software statewide to modernize the state's regulation-making process, marking the completion of the first-ever overhaul of the regulatory system. In 2025, the office contracted with Esper, a regulatory management software company, to replace what officials described as a decades-old, paper-based system that limited efficiency. The launch is a key accomplishment of Secretary Scott Schwab's modernization efforts. As part of Schwab's 2026 legislative agenda, reforms were enacted to provide Kansans with insight into proposed regulations through public notice. "Statewide regulation reform has been long overdue," Schwab said, adding that he was proud the agency had delivered a more efficient regulatory process.
WIBW
No Labels Terminates Kansas Party Status
TOPEKA, Kan. — No Labels Kansas has terminated its status as an officially recognized political party, the Kansas Secretary of State's Office announced Monday. The party notified Secretary Scott Schwab's office Friday of its desire to end the designation, which it had held since January 2024. Schwab's office has directed counties to change voter registration records affiliated with No Labels Kansas to unaffiliated status, per state law. No Labels regularly promotes itself as a "common sense" centrist organization.
KSN
Air Force Trainer Belly-Lands at McConnell After Hutchinson Diversion
WICHITA, Kan. — A Beechcraft T-6A Texan II trainer landed without its landing gear at McConnell Air Force Base on Tuesday, with both pilots uninjured. The single-engine, two-seat aircraft is manufactured by Textron Aviation Defense and is used to train Joint Primary Pilot Training students in basic flying skills common to U.S. Air Force and Navy pilots. According to flight-tracking site Flight Aware, the plane originated from Vance Air Force Base in Enid, Oklahoma, and made several attempts at Hutchinson Regional Airport Tuesday afternoon before diverting to McConnell. McConnell emergency response forces were on scene, and both pilots were attended to by base medical personnel. McConnell said a board of officers will be appointed to formally investigate the accident.
KWCH
Chiefs' Rice Ordered to Jail After Probation Violation
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice was ordered Tuesday to serve 30 days in jail after testing positive for marijuana, violating the terms of his probation tied to a 2024 crash on a Dallas highway, the Texas State Attorney's Office said. Rice was to report immediately as part of his original sentence last July, when he pleaded guilty to third-degree felony charges of collision involving serious bodily injury and racing on a highway causing bodily injury. The plea agreement included five years of deferred probation and 30 days in jail as a condition of probation, with flexibility on when to serve the jail time. The Chiefs and the NFL said they were aware of the reports and declined further comment, and messages to Rice's attorney were not immediately returned. The timing coincides with the NFL's offseason workout phase; voluntary workouts begin May 26 and a mandatory three-day minicamp begins June 9. Rice had previously served a six-game NFL suspension for violating the personal-conduct policy and paid a crash victim $1 million in a mediated agreement plus $115,000 to cover victims' medical expenses.
KSN · AP
Sources
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